Cameron: *she slowly comes out of her shadows and looks to Ruko and Belleria, both of them having immediately rushed to their master's sides as she rose up and out of her shadows. They both merely looked at her in a mixture of confidence and fear as they nodded to her, Cameron looking to Semyaza with interest* Lord Semyaza....right? *her blade pieces fly towards her back to her ankles and clip themselves there as she goes into a melee ready stance* ....Desmond, allow me this honor.... *if Desmond and the others looked, they could see a twinkle of excitement in her eyes as she got ready to lunge at him. Moments later she had sunk into the shadows and appeared underneath the Lord of Null, grabbing him by the leg and electrifying him with her sorcery before flipping around to land an axe kick onto his head*

~Loria and Catia~

Catia: *she gives a loud squeak at Wyald's sudden outburst, having been starting to calm down a little when he'd gotten serious* S-Ser Wyald? H-How will I know it's N-Nifelheim speaking to me? *she asks him timidly, knowing of her own inner demons that she'd already seen a few times before*

~In Dis near Grimoire's Castle~

???: *when Commander Piper looks straight at her, she pauses for a moment before smiling at his words, putting a hand over her heart and bowing slightly to him with her eyes closed* You flatter me with those words Commander Piper. I merely wished to get this giant oaf to stop giving his clear superior orders as if he owned us. As for my name.... *she looks up at him slightly, her scarlet eyes showing that she was highly confident and pleased with her situation* Please, call me Krow. I am pleased to be addressed by not only you but her ladyship's attention as well.

Semyaza: *he grins as he watches Desmond back off* A duel? How exciting! *he stands ready, then suddenly finds himself being shocked by Cameron. He grins wildly as the current flies through his body. Suddenly, he feels his head driven down by Cameron's axe kick. With a gleeful laugh he staggers forward and roughly lays a fist into Cameron mid-air. The air around his fist felt dry and icy, as if being around it would incur frostbite. However, nothing compared to the actual crystal-like flowing substance that coated his hands. As soon as his fist hit Cameron's torso, she felt a cold so fierce it burned, and the sound of sizzling flesh against sub zero cold hissed out as the punch followed through and flung Cameron* My Dark Sorcery, Dark Matter....It allows me to summon a substance so cold it disintegrates anything it touches...You just got a small taste, young one...

Desmond: Cameron!

Semyaza: Now that you all know what I'm capable of, next person who interferes with this fight will be killed instantly alongside the girl. I will forgive no one who interrupts this show! *he grins at Cameron and beckons to her with his hand again, as if to mock her* Come now...I only gave you severe frostbite on your stomach...A Spell Blood and Contractor such as yourself shouldn't let that slow you down!

Piper: Krow, eh? You even named yourself? Normally, such brazen insolence is met with death, but the name suits you well. Delightful! *the Half-Giants all step aside in perfect unison, making a path for Krow* Come now, Krow. Mother await you, as do Brother and Sister...They are very eager to meet you. *he gestures for her to follow him as he walks into Grimoire's keep. All around her, the other Half-Mortals begin silently chanting her name, as if it had become their new war cry. They begin stomping their feet in perfect unison, as if to show her that they acknowledged her as their leader*

Cameron: *she rolls from the punch and slowly stands up, her breath ragged from the frostbite on her stomach. But as she touched it, she gives a loud cry as the creature on her arm latches itself onto the injury and begins to forcefully remove the cold energy from her body. Soon enough the creature finishes and begins to glow brightly on her arm, content with its meal. When Cameron stands up everyone can see that her stomach was still hurt but the cold energy from it had disappeared completely. She stares at the creature silently as it cries for more, giving her an idea. She looks over to Semyaza before wordlessly dashing over and grabbing his icy fist in her hand. The creature immediately latches onto it and glows brightly before both combatants are flung away from each other by a massive burst of bright light. When Cameron gets back up, the creature on her arm had returned to its original black color and she was completely unharmed*

~Loria and Catia~

Loria: *she turns to her apprentice and kneels to her eye level* Go ahead and head on home to see your little sister Catia. I will speak with Ser Wyald a little longer alright? *she smiles calmly and giggles as Loria ruffles her long hair before the little angelic girl runs off to do as she was told. Loria turns to Ser Wyald and sighs* So, forgive me for souring your mead Wyald but now I have a question or two. First off, what am I going to be looking for personally when this ambition of Nifelheim's starts to attack her? Second.... *she takes a deep breath and looks at Ser Belwas* Do the two of you have room for one more to drink with you? I feel as if I might need a drink or two thinking about all of this....

~Krow~

Krow: *she smiles in silent pleasure from all of her fellow half-demons chanting her name, following Commander Piper as they entered Grimoire's keep. It didn't take very long for them to reach Grimoire's chambers, Cornelia and Grom being seen on either side of her. Krow stops a couple dozen feet from her and kneels down, a sly smile on her face*

Grimoire: *she's sitting inbetween her two remaining children, smiling at Krow leisurely from her seat on the crimson red cushion that she was sitting on* Welcome to my keep Krow. I'm ever so glad you could make it. I've been watching you. You have a very unique skill that I'm finding more and more interesting by the day.

Krow: *she smiles up at Grimoire and lets an illusion of her form walk up to her with a hand on her hip in an effort to please her once more* I'm pleased that I could amuse her ladyship.

Cornelia: *she is in her human form, a deep new X-shaped scar carved into the bridge of her nose. She huffs at the image of Krow approaching her mother and frowns at her* What a cheap trick....that is nothing more than a farce created by a rat who somehow managed to weasel her way in here.

Krow: *she glances at Cornelia, narrowing her eyes at her* Did the lizard say something? I couldn't quite hear it over her overly inflated ego.

Cornelia: *her form lights ablaze as she begins to growl at Krow* What did you just call me?!

Krow: *she smirks at the clear anger in Cornelia's voice, letting her own form displace itself* Is your hearing as horrible as your breath? My, I never thought to have expected that.

Cornelia: *she lights her gauntlets ablaze and gets into a battle ready stance, growling angrily at Krow* How DARE you! I'll turn you to ash you half-mortal filth!

Grimoire: *she merely smiles at the exchange, looking at Grom and nodding to him as if to tell him to diffuse the situation*

Semyaza: A Lost Glutton, huh? That must be the gift Myst was talking about...to put such an evil thing in the hands of a child is just too cruel, Myst....*he starts chuckling and stands up, brushing the dirt from his shoulders as he does* That creature of Null seems to have bonded to you quite nicely...you're well on your way, girl. *he holds out his hand and suddenly Desmond flies forward to Semyaza as if something had him by the coat* I'll have you know that little flash of light took some effort to block...and its left me a little parched. *he grabs Desmond by the hood and rips it down before taking two of his index fingers and jabbing Desmond in the neck, his fingers visible under Desmond's skin. Suddenly, a loud throb rings out from Semyaza's hand and Desmond begins groaning in pain* Yes...his blood may be that of a mere Swamp Man, but its still got that kick Spell-Bloods always have...they're good for a quick buzz!

Yorg: HE'S DRINKING DESMOND'S BLOOD?!

Kurt: *he stands up and readies his horn for an attack*

Semyaza: NO! Stay right there, hermit! I tell you now, I have his main artery in my hand. One false move, and I bleed him dry! *he looks over at Cameron and smiles* See, girl? This is what real power looks like. The ability to get what you want, no matter who stands in your way. A great change is coming, girl, and we want you to be part of it. *he looks over at Yorg and Kurt* All of you, in face. Every Null Contractor in the world should be involved in this. Come to the Undying Land of Dragons, there the true King of Dark shall lead the crusade against the old God of Null....Hehehehehe its going to be a party to remember....*he throws Desmond to the ground, a grin on his face as he licks the blood off his fingertips* Don't worry. I didn't bleed him dry. That boy is far too moody to be a successful Vampyre. Besides, I want to come back again one day to see if it gets any better with growth and age, like a fine wine...*he then whistles sharply and a black portal opens behind him* Take good care of that Glutton, Cameron...the Lost are old inhabitants of the Dark, far older than you mortals even are...it bonded to you for a reason beyond yours or my understanding. I hope to see you in the Undying Land of Dragons, girl. Who knows, your opinion of me may change...and then we could become such good friends. *he gives a smug chuckle and steps through the portal, the black void closing behind him immediately*

Desmond: *he groans loud and grips his neck suddenly, screaming in pain from the wound*

Yorg: *he runs over to Cameron, removing his helm. A look of clear surprise was on his face* Cameron, you just faced down a Lord of Null...and not just any one, but one of the older ones. That was Semyaza, the only Demon to ever make a pact with Null. He later on became one of the strongest Lords of Null to ever rise up. He may have been toying with us, but what you did rattled him. He had to drink Desmond's blood just to keep calm from that...That was amazing!

Kurt: It was that slug! That...Lost Glutton or whatever he called it! I saw it with my own two eyes! It ATE Semyaza's Dark Matter and the energy from the frostbite on her stomach. That thing is an energy sucker!

Yorg: A creature that can absorb energy itself...Cameron, how do you feel? Are there any side effects?

Kurt: *after healing Desmond completely, he gets up and runs over to Cameron. To his surprise, he drops his horn on seeing Cameron* No way...she's completely fine! No frostbite or anything!

Yorg: The energy...healed her?!

Wyald: *he was about to drink more ale when he heard the first question and became serious. Lowering the tankard slowly, he sighed deep* Those who are born Half-Demon apparently are born accustom to thoughts of death and carnage, of fire and brimstone, of an eternal flaming hell that will be this world should Nifelheim take over...For us mortals, his presence isn't something so warm and soothing...for her, like for me, it will come for her in her sleep. She'll burn, King's Blade....in her own mind that girl is going to burn bad. And if she gives in....she may lose her humanity. When that happens, she'll give in and become a being born of Nifelheim's burning hate for this world, and will seek to turn it into a charred wasteland. She will become destruction incarnate. I mean, look at me. Yes, I was messed up before I ate that Demon's heart. I won't lie and say that I was some brave Knight who rode up on a white horse and fought alongside Eddard the King's Blade in glorious ballad-worthy deeds. Hell, before I joined him, he and the Brave Companions fought me and we nearly all killed each other on numerous occasions. I only joined because I hated the thought of a world ruled by the Immortals more than one ruled by Garlith. Still, I wasn't ready for it, after I ate that heart. Yeah, the power was amazing...before, I could only warp five yards around me. Now, I can warp as far as I want...This Cursed Blink became an amazing sorcery. But then, one night...they started....The dreams of the fire...I could feel the flames licking my mind....turning my soul black and hollow and not but ash and cinder...and his voice...his soothing, painful voice....*his eyes become white saucers as his memories flood through his head. He immediately takes the tankard and chugs it hard, letting the ale sooth over his mind before breathing heavily and slamming the ale down hard on the table* By the gods, I hate remembering that....anyway, that's pretty much what she has to look forward to! *he reaches over to the bar next to him and grabs a full tankard, handing it to Loria and grinning widely* Now, grab that drink and lets get hammered! OOOOOOKIKIKIKIKIKI!

Belwas: *he sighs heavily and rubs the sides of his head*

Grom: *the shadow of Grom moves under the torchlight of Grimoire's chamber and finally reveals itself. What was once a monstrous nightmare that combined the blood of Giants, Dragons, and Demons was now an incredibly large humanoid with red skin and a human-like face with an obsidian jaw covering. Two vast horns grow out from the back of his head and loop around, stopping right above his head and then jutting forward. The horns are black obsidian with red, glowing cracks. His torso is muscular and strong, like it was carved from scarlet stone. Six arms grow on his body, black and covered with smoldering obsidian as two grow normally, two grow from behind his shoulders, and two grow atop his shoulders. he wears full Black Iron grieves and no shoes whatsoever, leaving his feel bare. Around his waste is a black sash with the red rune symbols that make up the Demon race's standard printed on it. He crosses his normal arms and gives one smoldering look at both Cornelia and Krow. His aura alone swelled around him, feeling like a vast inferno raged in the very room, his presence giving off one thing and one thing only, a feeling that all Half-Demons would understand, he was far stronger than them, and that meant he was in charge. And he wanted them both to stand down. Now.*

Cameron: *she looks to the writhing, oozing creature on her arm as it raises something akin to a head to look at her before tilting its head in confusion. This thing feeds on energy? As Ruko and Belleria walk over, she tries to send a jolt of electricity through it and it quivers in delight, glowing a slight blue from the snack before settling back down onto her arm. She looks up at Kurt and Yorg with just as confused a look as they had* I have no idea....I don't feel any pain so....I can only assume that this creature is what saved my hide just now....and if that's the case....I think I owe Miss Myst my gratitude a few times over.....

~Loria~

Loria: *she gives a growl and snatches the tankard from him* I'm not here to get drunk you mad ape! *she scolds him as she quickly takes the tankard back and downs about half of the container before needing to take a breath. She slams it down onto the table and frowns at Ser Belwas* I have some questions for you about Argyle. *she takes a deep breath and lets herself relax* What was he like before I met him? Did his Uncle treat him well enough? I never knew Ser Odin so....I feel a little obligated to ask.

~Catia~

Catia: *she's walking down the streets of the city when she suddenly hears a little girl whisper into her ears, making her stop in her tracks and look around for where the whisper might have come from. She then hears giggling and then the whisper comes again*

???: Come play with me~ It'll be fun~

Catia: *she looks around, confusion written all over her face as she soon spots a flash of blonde hair going around a corner into an alleyway. Curious as to what it could have been, she takes a quick look around to make sure that no one had been staring at her before she slowly walks towards the strange sight, unsure of what to make of it*

~Ember~

Ember: *her eyes snap open and her pupils turn to slits as she wakes up from her nap, only to find herself with an eerie feeling. She slowly sits up from her spot lying on Forcestus' chest, looking around cautiously. It felt like eyes were watching her but....where was it coming from? The entire thing gave her the chills and she gave a compulsive shiver before slowly getting up and out of the water, kissing the top of Forcestus' head* I'll be right back. I'm just going to go for a walk. Promise. *she tells him softly, going to dry herself off before walking out of the room and into the streets, her eyes moving back and forth as if looking for something or someone. Why did she have such a bad feeling all of a sudden?*

~Krow~

Krow: *she narrows her eyes at Grom, and slowly stands up as Cornelia slowly backs off and lets her aura die down. She stares straight at him, a very clear defiance in her cold, scarlet eyes*

Krow: *she lets her form displace itself a little further, making slight black smoke come from her hands* No. I have no reason to fear or respect him therefore I'm not afraid of him. *she looks to Grimoire* Should I have other feelings towards him your ladyship?

Grimoire: *she gives a small chuckle and shakes her head* No no child. Your reaction is actually very interesting. Grom. *she looks to her son standing next to her* Do me a favor and provide me with some entertainment. Oh but, do us both a favor and don't rough her up too badly. I want something left so that I can decide whether or not my plan for her is good or not. Have your fun, but remember your manners. She is a woman after all.

Krow: *she readies herself to vanish from sight the moment Grom goes to attack her, not moving from where she was standing in an effort to concentrate on what she was doing. She may have sounded brash just now but she wasn't stupid. Grom is a powerful opponent there was no denying that. She would need to be very careful else he would merely annihilate her in just a few short moves*

Kurt: Its Avalon...something involving the Dark Contractors must be going on there. I think this is going to be Khan's big push...

Yorg: Yes...Its possible he could be planning to begin his war with Groff Dark there, and to do so he plans on uniting all the Null Contractors under one banner...his.

Kurt: Normally, that would be just dandy considering all the damage Groff's Null has caused, but I'm not too comfortable about a Null controlled by Khan, a man who was known hundreds of years ago to have tried invading Myrr and nearly succeeded and was known for having conquered most of if not all the Eastern Lands...

Yorg: I feel that we should tell Loria the first chance we get when we see her, but for now, we need to get Desmond back to the keep and into a bed. He's been through hell, and then had to get his blood sucked by Semyaza. This is just a horrible day for him...for all of us....

Wyald: Hmmmm....when I knew Argyle...he cried. He did nothing BUT cry. And puke, and crap....because he was a BABY! OOOOOOKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKI! I didn't have much emotional investment in the pipsqueak, I was just a delivery boy!

Belwas: *he sighs deep and sits down on the opposite side of Loria at the table* I think it would be more prudent if I took this one...If you mean was Argyle mistreated, no. Far from it. He lived a good life. Helped the servants do the chores on his uncle's estate, did his studies, all of it. One of my company members, my First Blade Rasha Skullcleaver, and her Crag Man Corps would check on him every now and again for me. Rasha and Odin were good friends from the war as well. But, I knew Odin probably better than anyone save for the queen. After all, we all grew up together. Her, Odin, Eddard, and I...While Lyra focused on studying her Sorcery and improving on it, we all trained under Ser Horvath. Odin was strong, stronger than even me. His armor was so thick, even a normal Spell Blood would die if they tried wearing it. And then there was the Dragon Fang...Odin wielded it like an artist could wield a paintbrush. But, despite his natural skill, he hated violence and wanted to pursue politics. Horvath, being the Noble who governed Garuda village, eventually made Odin his heir to Garuda, and gave him all the lands therein. And he governed well. The people were happy...until Groff Dark wiped them all out....it was such a miracle that Argyle survived...but such a tragedy....*tears start to flow down his eyes slightly* Our home town...my best friend...all of it, gone...*he then clenches his teeth and takes a deep breath, calming himself* But, such is the casualty of war....My point is, Argyle had a good life. But, from what I've seen, he much prefers this one...there is so much of Eddard in him. He's much more suited to Knight's work.

~The Lowest Dungeon in Silvenheim, The Iron Crypt~

*Deep beneath Silvenheim, inside a vast cavern, sits a large iron keep which supports the very ceiling of this cavern like a pillar. It is in this keep, The Iron Crypt, that the worst criminals in Myrr's history are kept. And it is here that one man sits...*

Lucas: *he appears to be in his late twenties, with medium-length brown hair with white streaks coursing through it. A short frame beard grows around his face leading do a small yet long beard on his chin which he keeps braided. His body is strong and hard, shown from years of living in a prison. He bears multiple scars from his time in the Immortal Lands, too many to count. However, the most noticeable were the large one going across his chest, the claw-like one on his back right shoulder blade, and the vast burn scar on his left leg. His eyes are a pale gold color and he has a bored expression on his face as he lays on his back, straining slightly. Finally, it is revealed that he is doing leg presses with a vast stone block with edges on the bottom designed for torture. The prince keeps up his workout breathing heavily* 5,650...*he keeps going, saying out loud each number every ten number*

Prisoner: *a Kong prisoner in the cell next to his is watching in awe* This is supposed to be the torture where they crush your legs...and he turned it into a workout routine?!

Guard: *one of the guards opens Lucas's prison cell door* Lucas, First Prince of Myrr? Your mother is here to see you.

Lucas: 5,670...*he groans and kicks the block off, flinging it onto the floor as his sits up*

Prisoner: SEVEN HELLS ALIVE! *the Kong's mouth is agape and his eyes are bugging out of his head from how amazed he was*

Lucas: *he groans, rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck before looking up at the guard, his face serious* Go on, I'm ready.

Guard: *he stands aside, allowing Queen Lyra to enter the cell before stepping out and shutting the door*

Lyra: *she takes a deep breath calmly speaks* I was able to see Argyle today...

Lucas: *his eyes widen in surprise* Really? You said he was always training or recovering from a mission...who could have arranged for that?

Lyra: It was actually Ser Horvath...*she smiles* He is good to us, even if he can't always be around....

Lucas: *he smiles* A splendid Knight as well as a splendid Grandfather...And now Argyle knows the truth. Seems like I have one more baby brother now.

Lyra: Speaking of which...your father knows as well.

Lucas: What?!

Lyra: Calm down, its all been taken care of. Garlith is releasing you. Lucas, your father feels horrible about what happened with you and him. He wants to atone for all these years that he stole from you. He wants to go ahead and try your plan with the Giants.

Lucas: Father gave in? How?!

Lyra: Ser Horvath and the Vanguard pressed for it. Hard. He even threatened to fight the whole campaign with just the Vanguard.

Lucas: If it was a simple matter of decimating the Giants, Demons, and Dragons, Horvath would be able to do it, but things aren't that simple in the Immortal Lands....Its good Father listened to reason. We need a foothold. And Jotunheim is the best place. Its mountain ranges block Avalon and Dis save for a small path through each range. Moving ground troops effectively would be difficult. However, if what I heard from you on the war is true, the Half-Demons can arrive like comets...granted, Half-Demons are not as powerful as pureblood Demons, and the Giants could easily handle small skirmishes, but if the Demons were to rain an entire army onto Jotunheim, we would be in trouble....

Lyra: Indeed...you have a long campaign ahead of you, my son. Your father says you are to lead this campaign as the embodiment of the Crown of Myrr and command the armies sent there as you see fit. You are now Royal General Lucas Myrr, leader of the King's Knights.... *she looks down, seeming upset*

Lucas: What troubles you, Mother?

Lyra: I'm scared...scared that both you and Argyle will die...he was so broken, Lucas! *She begins sobbing into her hands*

Lucas: *he stands up and pulls her into a hug as she cries* I won't die, Mother. And Argyle is the son of Eddard, the great King's Blade. He's resilient. And that is only from what you told me of his father. From what the guard told me of Argyle himself, the boy is strong and fights well. I think he can handle himself just fine. *he looks down at her and smiles* Stand tall and smile, mother. Your sons will make you proud. One is a prince who will one day lead this kingdom into a golden future, and the other is a future Knight who will help usher in that age.

Lyra: *she looks up at Lucas and smiles, wiping the tears from her eyes before she moves up on her toes and kisses his cheek* I am so fortunate to have such sons. Now, steel yourself, Lucas. The hour of your redemption is here!

Grom: *he looks over to Grimoire and nods* Yes, Mother. *he then looks right at Krow, his eyes burning as if he was looking THROUGH her.* Your ability is indeed interesting...however....*he suddenly disappears, moving faster than Krow's eyes could follow. He suddenly appears right next to her, his black obsidian hands brought back, he brings his center left hand forward and pushes the side of Krow's head gently. As soon as his hand touches her, a vast wave of force explodes out, flinging her real body into a wall at breakneck speeds* Your illusions are hollow...and I can see your soul plain as day. *he stands up straight, his arms relaxing but his gaze showing that he was far from off-guard* Since Lord Nifelheim blessed my sister and myself with his blood, we have become evolved Half-Demons, and have each gained new traits...this is but one of mine.

Loria: *she smiles and nods to Ser Belwas, downing the last of her tankard and letting it sit back onto the table. She wipes her mouth of the drink and stands up from her seat, bowing to the both of them* Thank you. Both of you. Now if you'll excuse me, I should make certain that my apprentice makes it safely to her sister before I return to Ser Sol. *she looks to Ser Wyald* Should anything happen Wyald, you'll be the first I send for. Remember that. *she forewarns him, turning and walking out of the tavern, the drink seeming to have not phased her very much*

~Catia~

Catia: *she follows the strange, giggling little girl down into a dead end alley, spotting the girl standing up and staring at the wall in front of her with her back facing Catia as she approached. A gentle smile crosses her face as she slowly gets closer to the little girl and kneels down, offering a hand to the girl when she gets down to her eye level* It's very dangerous to be just walking around by yourself little one~ Come with me and we'll find your mother to take you home hm? *she coaxes the girl, her voice gentle like a mother's would be*

???: *another giggle can be heard as her voice suddenly echoes through the alleyway* What mother? Our parents are dead, remember? *she turns around and gives Catia a creepy grin before her head suddenly tilts violently to the side. The sounds of bones breaking and snapping can be heard as the girl's blonde hair suddenly begins to turn a dark shade of red*

Catia: *the sight startles Catia and makes her stand straight up with a loud squeak, slowly making her back up as the events continued with the girl* Wh-Who are you? I-I only have one little sister....

???: *her voice becomes slightly deeper and more melodic as she rights her head and grins brighter at her* You don't know? I'm you. *laughing can be heard as demonic flames erupt behind Catia and make her scream and fall backwards and onto her back. She stares at the flames in absolute terror as the girl from before suddenly grows in size and takes on Catia's appearance but with a few key differences. Her wings are made of pure demonic flames and her clothes take on a more aggressive, brawler-like appearance as she slowly walks over to the terrified Catia and kneels down, an amused chuckle coming from her. Her hair has a slight orange tint to it and while the real Catia's hair was straight, this one was pulled back into a ponytail that dangled from the back of her head. The next voice she speaks in is exactly her own* Your face right now....twisted in terror of that which you cannot stop or control....I love it. Tell me, do you plan on running from me forever? *the woman asks her, gently placing a burning hand onto Catia's cheek and making her cry out in pain from the touch searing her skin*

Catia: *she scrambles to stand upright before going to try and draw a spell seal into the air. She only gets about halfway through her movements before the flaming, demonic apparition of herself grabs her by her right wrist and makes her scream again from her burning touch* Wh-What are you doing?! Stop it! That hurts!

Catia?: *she simply laughs as a black marking resembling a thorny black bracelet made of rose vines and thorns seems to wrap itself onto her wrist and wriggle into her flesh, making her scream again* Will you just relax? I'm helping you dear. With this mark, I'm allowing you to let me take over your body at any time just to envelop the world around you in nothing but these hellish flames. Then, once everything has turned to ash, you can be at peace. Isn't that what you want?

Catia: *she screams as the mark begins to crawl and lengthen underneath her skin, traveling up her arm and struggling to try and go up her shoulder* N-No! Stop!

~Ember~

Ember: *she perks up her ears as she's walking, seeing smoke coming from an alleyway a couple blocks away. Narrowing her eyes, she spots several townsfolk, looking down the alleyway in fear as screams can be heard coming from it. Her eyes widen when she finally recognizes the screaming to be Catia's voice!* Get out of my way! Move! *she growls at the townsfolk as she shoves them aside to race down the alleyway in order to help the girl to escape what seemed like a small fire. But when she comes down the alleyway and gets to the end, she stops and her heart skips a beat. In front of her, on her knees and blocked by a wall of hellish flames, was Catia. She seemed to have something holding her arm as a black, thorny vine-like marking was traveling down her arm and up her body. It was then that it dawned on her; this was her first nightmare! She growls and brushes past the demonic flames, falling down with a loud cry of pain as the flames burnt her body. She stared at them in absolute shock and confusion. Demon fire couldn't hurt demons! How was that even possible?! She scrambles to her feet as Catia lets out another scream, going to grab the girl's marked arm. She instantly feels an icy chill go down her spine and when she looks at what's holding her she gets a terrible fright: It was a dark, shadowy form of Catia herself, carving an intricate curse into her own body!* Catia! Catia! Get ahold of yourself! It's just a nightmare! You've gotta wake up! *she screams at her, forcing her arm away from the shadowy version of the girl and kneeling down with her, holding her into her arms and keeping her tightly into her grasp. It wasn't long before she seemed to finally regain her senses, the dark wall of flames receding and disappearing as she started to cry into Ember's chest. It surprised her at first, seeing this girl going straight to her for comfort, but slowly she wrapped her arms around her and started to stroke her hair as a couple of the braver townsfolk came by to investigate what was going on. She looked up at them with gentle but serious eyes* Find Lady Loria and Ser Wyald. Now. *she told them, a couple of them nodding quickly and running off to get some help while another woman quickly wrapped the pair into a blanket, Catia's soot and ash covered face crying and clinging to Ember. While she hadn't been here for the entire nightmare, she knew that whatever the poor girl had seen had clearly scared her. All she could do now was hold her and wait for her master to come and help....*

~Krow~

Krow: *she lets a cry of surprise when she's flung into a wall, growling a bit and using her sorcery to make a solid illusion of herself cushion her impact into the wall. She soon emerges and barrels into Grom, flying up on jet black, angel-like wings as she gave a quick spin and tossed him into the ground near effortlessly. She was a little hurt but otherwise she seemed fine, which made Grimoire crack an even greater grin. She then lights down onto the ground and her eyes begin to glow as she creates two separate clones of herself. But as Grom looks at the three of them, he can see that all of them have souls, not just the one. All of their eyes were glowing and she huffs as she watches Grom's reaction* I thought you would be able to see through that. My sorcery may not work very well on demons, but your senses are no sharper than my own.

Wyald: *he leaps out of his chair and summons his axes* OOOOOKIKIKIKIKI! ENEMY RAID!?!

Belwas: Has Grimoire begun her counter-attack?!

Man: No! It was Catia herself! There was so much fire everywhere! Ser Ember managed to calm her down, but she seems to need you!

Wyald: *his axes disappear* Her first Nightmare...ain't that a coincidence?

Belwas: Nightmare?

Wyald: When you become Half-Demon through Possession or Consumption, a transformation occurs. Its called The Nightmare. And there ain't just one of those. There are going to be more. They are completely random and can happen at any given time. When they happen, her Half-Demon side will try to take over. If that happens, one of two things will happen. Either Nifelheim's Voice will call her to Dis, or she'll go on a mass rampage and kill everyone around her. She'll be feeling the voice any time now, since she just had her first Nightmare and came out of it still human, if what this guy here says is true. And trust me....that flame is a whole different level of burn. Lead on, Kiddo. Tin Can, come with us. We may need you...

Belwas: Why do you say that?

Wyald: When she hears the Voice, Ember will be there. I have no doubt that Nifelheim's been keeping his eye on Ember. For both his Sight and Voice to be at the same place, it means something may appear there...something bad.

Belwas: How bad?

Wyald: *he looks Belwas straight in the eye* Bad.

Belwas: Got it. Just lead the way, Loria.

~Ember~

*as Catia is comforted by Ember and the good townsfolk around her, she suddenly hears a sharp ringing in her ear. The piercing ring gets louder and louder, until it roars in her ear like a storm wind. However, Catia was not the only one feeling a strange effect. The feeling of eyes upon Ember suddenly turns to a burning feeling of paranoia. And then, all at once, a small flame appears at the blackened spot where Catia had struggled with her dark self. And all was silent, and peaceful. The flame danced at first, as if alive. Then, it began to burn and grow, turning from a sprite-like ember to a raging inferno, filled with cruelty, malice, and a feeling of complete and utter oppression. The people gasped in horror and began to flee as the fire began to ripple and quake, turning into a perfect circle. And out from that Circle, standing in mid-air before Ember and Catia, was a black flaming shadow shaped like Nifelheim, its eyes smoldering as if they were his own. Black smoke and hellfire covered the form as its voice suddenly booms out at Ember and Catia*

Shade of Nifelheim: BLOOD OF THE INFERNO....GIVE YOUR WILL TO ME! *a wave of heat flies out from him, leaving all the buildings untouched. However, when the wave hits Ember and Catia, they both felt very different effects. For Ember, it was as though fingers were running along the surface of her mind, probing at every dark thing inside her and attempting to make her submit. For Catia, however, it was far more painful. The flames felt as though they were burning everything she was to nothing, a fire that would leave only ash in its wake. It was as if the flames were showing her what Hell itself was like*

~Krow~

Grom: *he stands up and looks at each Krow individually before clenching all six fists so hard they crack* My senses...An illusion Sorcery which targets the senses and is capable of manipulating them to a vast degree...To think that such a power would be born among us...yes...you will do very nicely. Mother was correct in her assessment of your abilities. You have versatility. And on top of that, you are capable of withstanding a blow that would normally blow a Mortal Knight in full armor into pulpy chunks of meat...*he then looks right at the center Krow, his eyes still sharp and guarded, but the look in them said it all. Even though he couldn't tell if that was the real her or not, it made no difference. To him, this fight was about to step up another level* Very good. I applaud your efforts. And for that, I shall give you the full brunt of my attention. *he brings all six fists back as they begin smoldering beneath the obsidian, steam and smoke escaping as flames begin to lick the cracks on the obsidian coating his hands. He then crouches and leaps into the air high above the three Krows. He then roars out loud as the backs of his elbows all shatter and jets of high-pressured flame shoot out. He then then aims down and roars as his begins unleashing a rain of fists downward. His fists would explode and unleash small Infernal Suns downward, firing one from each fist rapidly, causing a hail of small suns to rain down. Even if his senses would be taken from him, her illusions were useless if everything on the field of battle was turned to ash with them. Now, if she could survive this much of Grom's power, she would truly be as worthy as they were lead to believe.*

~Avalon~

Cypress: *the Kong sat on a broken stalagmite within the vast cave that the Dragon King seemed to call home. His eyes were closed, as he was resting before the next meeting. Suddenly, the air around him becomes electrified, as if a storm was near. He opens his eyes slowly and sighs* When they said that the others were coming...I didn't think they meant so soon. *he looks back at the man now standing behind him. He was tall, rather burly, with long, spiked, storm-black hair that seemed windswept back. His eyes were blue and seemed to spark like lightning itself. His features were very strong, with a thick neck and shoulders as well as rippling muscles. His upper and lower canine teeth seemed slightly sharper than normal, and his sideburns on his cheeks were thick like mutton chops. He wore a black leather harness over his chest with white cloth pants that are torn up on the leg cuffs, giving them an appearance like a dirty, grey storm cloud. His feet are completely bare, and the nails on his fingers and toes are sharp like daggers, as if he had claws* Sven...Harlock's replacement, right? I hear you were causing a lot of trouble in Jotunheim's Mortal Villages. Remember, the Mortals from Jotunheim belong to the Dragons, not you. You can't kill them as you please just because you're one of the Lesser Immortals....

Sven: *his voice has an almost beast-like growl to it as he looks back at Cypress* Duly noted. However, I'd watch my tongue if I were you...I don't do too well with people...those villages didn't respect my personal space, so I did what I always do...*he holds up his hand as lightning starts jumping between his fingers* I killed every one of them...and the ones that didn't die, I sold them...all of them....I made them all go away...

Cypress: Sold them? Ah yes, that's right. Before you ranked up, you were our Apostle who would do His Majesty's business with that crime ring that would sell Mortals for money into slavery...Now, His Majesty has seen it fit to raise you up and have you replace the late Harlock as the Grand Acolyte who would be destined to kill the King's Blade....Well, at least you aren't lacking in intimidation...But trust me, you won't beat me with abilities like yours...

Sven: Would you care to back that up?! *he roars and wheels around, going to slice Cypress with his hand like it was a claw, the whole thing suddenly glowing as if it was made of Lightning itself*

Cypress: *suddenly, his arm intercepts the attack, his fan stopping the claw as Cypress stared Sven down, his hand brought back and poised for a palm thrust* Tell me, have you ever been around the world?

Sven: *he grins, his fanged teeth showing* Hehe...Enlighten me...

Heinkiel: *as Cypress goes to hit Sven, Heinkiel suddenly appears between the two of them, his sword partially drawn* And so time flows on...*suddenly, multiple small slashes appear on both of their arms, causing Cypress to drop his fan and Sven to jump back while growling* That's enough, gentlemen. We're getting ahead of ourselves. The five of us are the Grand Acolytes, the strongest of the Dragon Apostles. Each of us is destined to kill of the pretender-King Garlith's strongest Knights! *he looks at Cypress* Cypress Meadow, destined to kill the King's Shield...*he then looks to Sven* The recently-appointed Sven Guntersen, destined now to kill the King's Blade...the yet-to-arrive Lance, who was appointed to replace the traitor Prongs as the one who will kill the King's Justice, our fourth companion, who His Majesty has yet to reveal, who will of course be destined to kill the King's Mercy, and of course myself...who is destined to one day kill the Master-at-arms....

Sven: You mean Horvath Queenkiller? HA! Good luck!

Heinkiel: *he looks at Sven, his eyes pleasant, but completely lacking any humanity* I managed to cut you, didn't I?....

Sven: *he looks at the cuts on his arm and growls, unable to come up with a comeback*

Cypress: The others should be arriving soon...We should cut the bickering before it angers His Majesty.

Heinkiel: My sentiments exactly...*he leans against a wall, content to wait for the other Grand Acolytes to arrive*

Loria: *she hears the news of her apprentice having sporatically had her first nightmare and her eyes go wide with fear. As soon as she hears that she was to lead the way to her she's out the door and completely focused. Already she could see smoke coming from somewhere in the distance again, as if a small brush fire had broken out. She could only hope that she wouldn't be too late*

~Catia and Ember~

Catia: *she hears the ringing as Ember feels her own paranoia clawing at her mind, making them both hold their heads. But as Ember merely manages to hold it off with a single hand to her head and some wincing, Catia begins to scream as she falls onto her side. Ember growls as she spots a dark shape beginning to form near the poor girl and dark, hellish flames begin to rise up from where they had been before and forming a wall of flames. As the form of Nifelheim appears, she looks up at it in fear as she shuts her eyes tightly and feels her old demonic tendencies beginning to grow once again. Catia however, does not take her new nightmare so well. Her screams turned to screeches of pure terror as her wings suddenly burst into flames and the mark on her arm begins to grow once again*

Shadow Catia: *she gives a pleased laugh as she slowly kneels down and smiles at the struggling girl* You're so cute~ Why are you fighting me? Just let me take over and I'll make sure to take every little bit of pain you have away from-

Ember: *she shoots a fireball at the shadowy shape of Catia in an attempt to interrupt her nightmare, making her shadow growl at her* You leave her alone! She has nothing to do with this! If you're going to attack someone, attack me!

Shadow Catia: *as the real Catia slowly begins to become smothered in flames, she simply begins to laugh* As you wish~ *soon she disappears as her form melds itself with Catia's on the ground. The girl lies still for a slight length of time before her eyes snap open, turning from her peaceful blue to a dark, scarlet red. Slowly she sits up and looks at herself before she cracks a small smirk and looks at Ember* And so you wished it, so it is. Hehehe~ How do I look? I don't think there's enough buildings on fire around me but....I can fix that. *she tells her, prompting Ember to lunge at her. But it's no use. Coupled with her newfound strength and her dark tendencies still probing at her mind, Catia merely snatches her out of the air by her throat and slams her onto the ground* Tsk Tsk. Such a naughty little girl, launching yourself at your ally like that. You really should be more careful~

~Krow~

Krow: *she gives a loud cry as the suns impact into her clones and she's pummeled into the ground. Every fiber of her being sought to scream out and make her sit still to rest. But as the attack ended, she felt something else stirring inside of her. A feeling that made her want to make Grom feel every bit as badly as she did. As his attack ends, her eyes glow a bright red and she glares right at him, growling in anger as she slowly sits up, her entire body racked with a burning, searing pain. But as she keeps her eyes locked on him, something strange begins to happen. He too suddenly feels all of the pain that was wracking Krow's body. All of the burning, the aching and every tiny bit of pain that she currently felt from all of his attacks was suddenly his own!*

~Avalon~

*A man with a long, dark colored scarf, black spiked back hair with bright blue eyes can be heard walking down the corridor calmly. He was wearing a dark colored, sleeveless shirt and torn up pants alongside simple leather boots as he came from the corridor leading into the King's chamber. On the back of his hip were what looked like two halves of one long spear and on his shoulder he bore the mark of a winged serpent, eating its own tail. A six pointed star could be seen in the center of the mark and a large scar was slashed across his face, going diagonally straight from just below his forehead and across the bridge of his nose, ending just as it touched his mouth. He glances at the other Acolytes before nodding to Heinkiel and walking past them all to sit down against a wall quietly. His name was Lance Draconan, a mortal spell-blood who long ago had sided with the dragons and already knew well enough how to fight. He says nothing to the others, not interested in making conversation. He only came here for his assignment and a description of the man he was meant to hunt down and kill. That was all that mattered to him*

Wyald: *as the three ran towards Catia's position, Wyald suddenly clutches his head as he feels something, a sharp, stabbing pain accompanied by a pulling in his head* Grrrr....this feeling...Things are getting worse there! Loria, I know where they are. I'm gonna Blink all of us there! Hold on! *he grabs Belwas by the shoulder with one arm while he leaps up and grabs Loria by the shoulders with the hands on his feet. He then howls and disappears with them in a burst of fire and smoke. For a split second, it was like being on the surface of the sun. Bright, searing hot. Then, they found themselves right in the alleyway that Catia and Ember were fighting in. Floating in the air, looking down on them, was the Shade of Nifelheim* Where his Voice, Eyes, Ears, Tongue or Hands may meet, The Shade of Nifelheim shall appear as if the King was here himself...That's what Ember told me when I became Half-Demon for the first time....*he summons his axes and swings them around, his body suddenly igniting with demon fire as he transforms into his Half-Demon form* So, do you fight like the real thing or what!?

Shade of Nifelheim: *the shade looks down at Wyald and chuckles* Ah, the mad baboon...how quaint. Unfortunately, without my other Senses here, I am but a shadow of my true self...I cannot harm directly, nor can I be harmed. However, Wyald...*as he focuses on Wyald, the Kong begins to feel a burning sensation deep inside his body. He clutches at his chest and nearly doubles over* You've been doing well, warding off my influence for so long....Had you succumbed, I would have probably been revived much sooner. Now, let us see if you still have it in you...The girl seems to be having a bit of trouble keeping her composure...*he grins snidely* Good luck, Demon Slayer...*the shade suddenly fades away into smoke, reforming itself inside the wall of fire as if to watch the spectacle*

Wyald: *he looks over and sees Shadow Catia standing over Ember and he grips his axes tightly* Say...you must be this girl's Nightmare self, right?....I got a Nightmare self as well, ya see...*he suddenly blinks and appears in front of her, railing a full straight jab right into her face, knocking her back a few feet* And he tells me I should break your freakin' nose. I'm inclined to agree! OOOOOOOKIKIKIKIKI!

Belwas: WYALD! You're supposed to be helping Catia, not hurting her!

Wyald: Shut it, Tin Man! She's a Spell Blood with a Divine Sorcery and she's Half-Demon now...If anything, she could probably take more of a beating than even a Pure Blood Demon....*he spins his axes in his hands* And I am gonna help her. I'm gonna beat her senseless so she'll snap out of it, or at least be unconscious till the Nightmare ends! OOOOOOOOKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKI!

Belwas: ...With the number of people already wounded, Sol already has his hands full...It may be unavoidable, but he is going to be really mad with us...after all, the old saying goes "Hit him three times, and even a saint would get mad"....

Grom: *as the pain suddenly rushes into him he suddenly drops to one knee and roars in agony, punching the ground to steady himself. He then looks at Krow, one of his eyes red from the blood vessels inside popping due to the sudden extreme stress. He clenches his fists while maintaining his glare* I see...so you can even use the senses to transfer pain and damage done to you unto your opponent, essentially flipping the fight on its head...It would seem your abilities are far more dangerous than we thought...*he then rises up to his feet, despite the severe pain that wracked his body* However...this...this pain....This is nothing to me in the face of my duties. I am Grom, The Balrog! Leader of the Half-Demons, Guardian of the Gates of Hell, and son of Grimoire, Princess of Demons! To falter due to mere pain would insult the conviction of our people! *he brings his fists up, ready to fight again* If my mother wills it, I will fight to my last breath...and trust me, Krow...from how this looks, I can still take far more punishment than you can...you have my respect as a warrior. And so, if my mother wills it, I will throw all that I am at you.

~Avalon~

Heinkiel: Ah, Lance. Perfect timing. *he smiles pleasantly*

Sven: *he watches Lance closely* Lance....as in Lance Draconan, that Apostle that was called a "Force of Nature" due to his amazing power? Hmph...smells like the rumors were true...

Cypress: *he sighs and continues meditating. As he does, he suddenly feels something tap his shoulder. When he looks over, nothing is there* Hmm? *he then shakes it off and goes back to meditating. Suddenly, another tap on the opposite shoulder. He then looks over at Sven, a bit annoyed* Aren't you a little old for childish pranks, Sven?

Sven: What are you talking about?

Cypress: You literally just touched my shoulder.

Sven: No I didn't.

Cypress: Yes you did. Don't even lie.

Sven: Hand to His Majesty, I didn't touch your shoulder.

Heinkiel: *he starts chuckling lightly* It would seem our final comrade is a bit of a handful....

Cypress: Oh? Wherever you are, come out now!

???: *out from the side of a wall comes a light, young voice that sounds like a young boy. The wall begins to ripple and out comes a young man with lanky, almost feminine features. His hair is a pale blonde color and his skin is as white as porcelain. All over his body are pale, pink scars that look almost like a mixture of stitches and claw marks. He is wearing red finery with a white shoulder cloak, his sleeves torn off just slightly above the wrist so his stitch-like scars around his wrists are visible. He wears velvet pants torn off in the center of his shins, his feet bare so the stitch-like scars around his ankles are also visible. As he emerges from the wall, he tumbles into a perfect cartwheel and continues cartwheeling until he leaps up and lands on a stalagmite's point perfectly, using his feet to hold on to it and balance him on the point. He bows there and laughs childishly* Hellooooooo, everyone!~ I'm Bajeel! I'm the Acolyte destined to kill the King's Mercy!~ I look forward to working with all of you!~

Cypress: Seems pleasant enough...

Sven: *he sniffs the air and growls slightly* He reeks of blood...you're a Vampyre, aren't you?

Bajeel: That's right!~ *he leaps off the stalagmite and lands near Sven, patting him lightly on the head* Good doggy!~

Sven: *he growls and moves to punch Bajeel, who tumbles out of the way and dodges the punch completely, all while laughing giddily* Grrrr...Never do that again! I hate when people invade my personal space!

Bajeel: *he laughs childishly and tumbles more, landing on his rear and sitting on the floor in front of Lance like a kid* Hahahaha!~ You sure are funny! You must be Sven! *he looks over at Cypress* Adn you're Cypress, the guy who's gonna kill the King's Shield! *he looks over at Heinkiel* And you're Heinkiel! Eveyone knows you!~

Heinkiel: *he smiles pleasantly and reaches into his pocket, retrieving a hard candy and throwing it to Bajeel*

Bajeel: *he gasps happily and reaches for the candy, comically missing it and bouncing it around in the air before finally catching it and putting it into his mouth, throwing the wrapping back at an irritated Sven, who growls after it bounces off his head. He lays back and looks up at Lance* So then...you must be that Lance guy, riiiiiiiight?~ The "Force of Nature"?~

Ember: *she coughs hard and gets up shakily, stumbling a little bit and putting a hand to her neck as Shadow Catia stands back up and smirks at Wyald. Ember narrows her eyes and glances at him* Wyald....be careful. Like you said, this girl is no pushover.

Shadow Catia: *she begins to laugh* Ser Wyald the Crazed....what a treat! I was wondering when I would be getting a chance to come out and play with you. That child might be scared of you but I'm not. You're nothing but a stupid excuse for a warrior! *she disappears in a flash of flames and static noise as she's suddenly got a hold on Wyald's throat, glowing dark orange spell circles on the ground where she'd been walking* Here, let me show you how worthless you are! *she then proceeds to lay a straight palm thrust into Wyald's chest, sending him careening into a building. She looks at Ember and a long blade made of flames appears in her right hand, making Ember turn full demon and equip her chakrams* You're next traitor girl....

Ember: *she goes to swing her chakrams but gasps as she feels her old demons trying to grasp at her mind again. She kneels and winces in pain, going to shut her eyes and hold her head as she feels them trying to urge her to burn everything and everyone around her to cinders* N-No....I won't do it....I'm....I'm different now! *she tells herself, squeaking in surprise as Catia picks her up by the throat and smiles at her*

Shadow Catia: *she puts the tip of her flame blade to Ember's stomach, chuckling as Ember tries to struggle and claw at her arm to get free from her grasp* You? Different? Don't flatter yourself. *she lets the blade touch Ember's bare stomach and makes her scream before tightening her grip on her throat to cut her scream off* I was told stories about your so called 'heroic' treachery by Lady Loria. Frankly I don't know why you're fighting your demon side so much. Doesn't it feel good to burn and destroy things? But maybe if you want a future with that oaf of a husband so badly.... *she pulls Ember closer to her and whispers into her ear* Maybe then....I should ensure that you'll never have a family of your own.... *she whispers into her ear as the flame blade pierces Ember's skin and makes her cry out in pain*

~Krow~

Krow: *she gets up and holds her arm in exhaustion. But right as she's about to unleash more attacks, Grimoire holds up a hand, stopping both of them*

Grimoire: *she has a proud grin on her face as she looks at Krow* That's enough you two~ That was a marvelous display. To have lasted so long against my strongest child and then inflicted pain onto him without even requiring to harm him.... *she laughs* You're exactly what I wanted and more! What say you, Krow, to becoming the commander of the half-mortal's and training them yourself? It's becoming increasingly clear that you are more than capable.

Krow: *she falls to a knee and closes her eyes, kneeling to her with a slight smile on her face* I would....be honored....your ladyship.... *she huffs. She was clearly tired from her bout with Grom but not enough so that she would fall unconscious. Not in front of the one she was trying to impress the most*

~Avalon~

Lance: *he opens one eye and looks straight up at Bajeel, unimpressed by his energy and childish display of his power* I am nothing but a tool that his majesty can use as he sees fit. I am no 'Force of Nature' nor do I care to be called as such. *he opens his other eye and stares straight at Sven* You would do well to keep a level head Sven. I have heard that the new King's Blade is strong. *the sound of his hands gripping his arms tightly can be heard, his folded armed posture and serious turning to a small smile* I only hope the target I'm being sent for is as strong if not stronger than she is. I don't like weaklings. *his face returns to a slight frown as he unfolds his arms and gets up, awaiting his majesty's new orders now that they were all here*

Wyald: *suddenly, Wyald's foot appears between Ember and Catia as Wyald warps in, kicking Catia and using his back to push Ember away. He then lands on the ground, his flames burning off his body as he glares at Catia* Tin Man. Get your clunky ass over here...

Belwas: *he readies his shield and greatsword* What's the plan?

Wyald: You're gonna make one of those bubbles....and you're gonna make it around me and the girl right now.

Belwas: Wyald, are you sure that's a good idea? Neither of your will be able to break out of it...you will be trapped alone with that thing.

Wyald: Belwas, I'm going to be very serious with you right now....You're going to separate Ember and her by putting me in there with her. Because if she is allowed to so much as touch Ember again...*his eyes are filled with pure, unbridled fury* I might just kill the King's Blade's apprentice here and now.

Belwas: *he seems surprised by Wyald's protectiveness over Ember* I'm shocked to be frank. Ember is a Demon. Don't you hate Demons?

Wyald: Shagga is known for his hatred of Giants...But tell me, has he killed Forcestus?

Belwas: ....She had better be alive when I lower that bubble.

Wyald: I won't kill her, Tin Man....But I am gonna kick her ass.

Belwas: *he steps back and places down his shield into the ground, holding it up as if to block. A vast violet bubble of energy forms around Wyald and Catia, cutting them off from all outside*

Wyald: Alright, punk...*he starts hopping from one foot to the other as flames begin to burn and crackle off his body* You want me, you got me! *he warps, appearing under Catia and kicking her into the air before warping again, kicking her to the left and warping there to kick her back, warping all around her and raining blows onto her to keep her in the air*

Belwas: *he stands up and walks back over to Loria, sitting down next to her and watching the fight* Now all we can do is watch...and hope Wyald doesn't kill her. Not many know this, but Ember helped Wyald through his first few months as a Half-Demon. She guided him, taught him how to control his urges, and taught him how to fight his Nightmare. Now that I see this, I can tell that Wyald holds Ember in the highest regard, and Catia's threat made this very personal....

~Krow~

Grom: *he stands there, still panting. However, he takes a deep breath and walks forward to Krow* I lost a subordinate today...*he then offers his fist to Krow, a look of respect in his eyes* But I gained a sister. You are ready for this, Krow. You were born for this.

~Avalon~

Heinkiel: Now then, now that we are all here, I can give the message that His Majesty has provided for us. War is coming, gentlemen. A war so grand, all the world itself will tremble. We have recruited more and more Spell-Bloods, creating more and more Apostles and growing in number and strength! But it is just so in Myrr as well. Now, the elite shall soon step onto the battlefield! Our spies in Silvenheim have already reported in. Garlith has freed Prince Lucas, the White Phoenix, and called for his King's Knights! And so, we, The Grand Acolytes, the strongest of the Spell Bloods under Father Behemoth shall respond in kind. Horvath Queenkiller and Prince Lucas seek to go to Jotunheim and recruit the Giants to their cause against us and Nifelheim. All attempts to sway Nifelheim to our side once again have only been met with violence. Even now, on the north-eastern border with Dis, our Dragon Lords, soldiers, and Apostles do battle with the Demon filth and their half-demon war beasts! But they know not what Avalon is like, nor do any of the other races! We, within this grand Realm of Dragons, are far more advanced and capable than the mongrel hordes at our gates! Soon, we shall go to war and defeat the Mortals once and for all!

Cypress: Have they selected a new King's Shield and King's Mercy yet? I was under the impression that those spots remained vacant.

Bajeel: *he coos childishly and does a forward role gleefully* I hope this one is big and strong and smart and fun!~

Sven: Hmph...all I care about is who they are and how long until we can kill them....you know I don't do well in groups...

Heinkiel: The current King's Knights are Loria, the King's Blade, and Ser Karn, the King's Justice. Both are powerful, and both should not be taken lightly...Loria killed both Phobos and Harlock, and Karn made Prongs turn traitor. They are both very capable warriors...as for the King's Shield and King's Mercy, Garlith has apparently found two worthy replacements...he will reveal them when his army is prepared.

Sven: Then why do we not attack now?! Kill them while they are weak?!

Heinkiel: Because the Vanguard has a vast force in Silvenheim at the moment, and Garlith has mustered all his strength back to him so they can recouperate. The south is now under the hands of Ford and his brigades, and with the Giants currently undecided and Nifelheim knocking at our door, we cannot spare the manpower for three campaigns...no, we will bide our time and wait....Lance, Sven, you two should study up on Loria and Karn. I believe one of the Draconians in the city below at our spymaster should have sufficient intelligence. Now then, we are dismissed until His Majesty calls. However, we are not to leave Avalon...the minute the enemy lands, we are mobilizing. *he inclines his head, bowing politely* Now then, you are all dismissed. *he turns around briskly and walks back into the cave, his hands in his pockets casually*

Ember: *she lands and coughs, Loria going to help her sit up as she looks up at Wyald's sudden protectiveness of her. When she hears his explanation she can't but smile and tear up, her inner demons slowly fading away as she watches him go to fight, not for himself, but to protect her and the others* You....You better win! Else I'll kick your ass later! *she shouts at him as the fight inside of the protective bubble suddenly erupts*

Shadow Catia: *she feels all of the attacks landing on her body, giving a small laugh after a few moments of being attacked before curling up tightly. A moment later there's a flash of demon fire that erupts from Catia's form as she snaps to a standing position, the flames slamming into the walls as if they were a massive heat wave. Her wings seem to violently sway and burn on her back as a second flame blade forms in her hands* Yes Ser Wyald! That's it! Attack me and break this girl's body! It will change nothing! *the field around her begins to burn as the ground beneath them turns to obsidious rock. She lets the flame blade in her right hand curl up and condense into a ball of flames before slamming it onto the ground, making a large explosion of hellfire within the barrier. Wyald might've been able to blink away from this attack before but now the radius was far too large and they were both trapped!*

~Meanwhile, back in the castle~

*Terran and Frost are walking along the castle walls as they feel a small tremor and a pillar of flame erupts from within the city*

Terran: *he blinks at the pillar as it vanishes just as quickly as it had come* ....Is Karn really well enough to do that again?

Frost: *he narrows his eyes and watches the pillar die down* No....he isn't. *the two merely exchange looks of confusion. Soon they turn to looks of clear seriousness as they both give each other a quick nod. They both jump off of the walls and use their Sorcery's to slide down to the ground, Terran using a small collection of pillars to jump from until he got down, Frost a slide of pure ice that disappeared as he made landfall. Together they both ran off to the source of the pillar of flames that they'd just seen*

~Krow~

Krow: *she looks up at Grom's fist before blinking at him in confusion* ....Do you intend to punch me again? I am confused....

Cornelia: *she sighs heavily and picks up Krow's hand, balling it into a fist before moving it in front of her face* You're supposed to bump his fist with your own. It's a sign of camaraderie with him.

Krow: *she stares at her fist as Cornelia lets go of it before she slowly taps it to Grom's fist, looking at Cornelia out of confusion* Like....that?

Cornelia: *she gives another heavy sigh* Close enough....

~Lance~

Lance: *he turns to Sven* I suppose we'll be traveling as one unit for the time being then. Don't slow me down. *he tells him calmly before he starts to walk down the hallway and towards the spymaster area below*

Wyald: *he stabs his axes into the ground, the fire swirling around him as he attempted to withstand the attack. He grits his teeth as the force and flame burns and singes his hair.* Grrr.....Divine Light mixed with Demon Fire....HOW FREAKIN' ANNOYING! *his axes begin to glow as the blades suddenly turn to glowing red hot temperatures. He then howls and swings up, letting out an Aural Manifestation blast from each ax that cleaves through the flames right at Catia. The blasts hit her in both shoulders, the force stopping her channeling and flinging her into the wall of the protective barrier* LORIA! SORRY 'BOUT THIS, BUT I'M GONNA HAVE TO BEAT HER TILL SHE CAN'T STAND! ITS THE ONLY WAY TO STOP HER! *he growls and spins his axes in his hands, the blades glowing again* Now punk......EAT DEMON CRAP AND DIE! *he starts swinging his axes wildly at Catia, each swing letting out a crescent-shaped blast of energy at her. The blasts flew like a great stream, Wyald's arms a blur as he moves them at super-high speeds* OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKI!!!!!!!!!!

Demon Soldier: *as Grom, Krow, and Cornelia continue their conversation, a soldier enters Grimoire's chamber and kneels before her* Princess, I have news from our spies in Jotunheim...The Vanguard has apparently been keeping a prisoner deep beneath the Mag-Theron hold of Deg's Holdfast...according to our intelligence, they were keen on finding a particular Obsidian Tomb that a certain demon slumbered in....they kept it under this keep for all these years, and now that we have awakened, they now hold that demon prisoner....We found him, My Lady...we found your confidante, Viscount Irituum, The Wendigo.....The Vanguard now holds him prisoner. They cannot kill him, and so they contain him beneath an entire Giant Keep!

Grom: Mother, who is this Viscount? Is he really so important?

~Avalon~

Sven: Grrrr...reading...I hate reading...It means going places where there are people....Don't blame me if I end up ripping someone's head off....*he walks next to Lance, his fists clenched as the two disappear in the gloom of the tunnel*

Shadow Catia: *she growls as the first two blasts hit her and knock her into the wall, seeing the next few strikes coming and dodge rolling to the right. She quickly starts running off and around the outer rims of the protective bubble, drawing a spell seal into the air and smashing it with her hand as the stream of strikes from Wyald start to catch up to her. A massive spell seal appears in front of her and starts catching the shockwave-like strikes and flashing momentarily, small bruises starting to appear on Catia's body from before. As she shakily gets up and starts to walk towards Wyald, she holds her side as another larger bruise appears there. She might've been able to soften Wyald's attacks from earlier but an onslaught like this would've finished her if it weren't for her spell shield!*

~Dis~

Grimoire: *she seems to brighten up with a look as if she'd just been a kid who'd come back from the candy store* Viscount Irituum....my how long it's been since we've seen each other.... *she hears Grom's question and grins at him, closing her eyes and going to lie down onto her back, a forlorn, dreamy look on her face* He was my very favorite friend to play with when I was just a child. Ember absolutely hated him and many of the other demons despised his vicious habit of cannibilizing any demons that he'd killed or viciously ripping his fellow demons apart just to get a quick snack or meal for himself. And then he and I met in combat. *her eyes sparkle as she returns her gaze to her children and Krow* The way he used to claw and tear at my bare flesh as I cleaved into him with my own claws and scythe.... *she gives a girlish sigh and closes her eyes, giving an exaggerated sigh as if she'd just fainted* He was absolutely wonderful~

Krow: *she smirks as she sees a chance to gain some of her ladyship's favor* If you truly think so highly of him, perhaps it would be beneficial to the both of us if you were to send me to free your dear friend and bring him home to us?

Grimoire: *she smiles at Krow* A fantastic idea Krow! Grom, do we have anyone that we've been watching who'd be able to lend her some support?

Wyald: *he sees his chance and blinks immediately, appearing in front of Catia with his leg poised. He then roars and kicks the spell shield, shattering it as his hand-like foot flies up through the shards of broken seal. The hand grabs her by the chin and neck with enough force to knock the wind from her throat as he blinks again while holding her, this time flipping and slamming her head-first into the stone road below them* OOOOOOOKI!

Belwas: *he keeps his shield up, watching the battle closely* No....I don't think that ended it....from what I feel, I think Wyald just made that thing angry...*he feels energy begin to build off Catia and immediately his eyes widen, realizing whats going on* WYALD, GET OUT OF THERE, YOU FOOL! SHE WANTED YOU TO GET THAT CLOSE! NOW YOU CAN'T GET AWAY FROM HER!

Wyald: OOOKI? *he seems confused by Belwas' statement*

~Dis

Grom: I believe Lord Baphamet has been training a few Half-Mortals whom he wished to make into warriors. From his reports, the Half-Demons Tonpetty and Pike are both ready for deployment. They have been conditioned properly and everything. They will serve Miss Krow well.

Lucifer: Planning on freeing that psychopath, are we, Grimoire? *Lucifer enters the chambers, his hands behind his back as behind him walk three Demons in what appear to be incredibly eccentric versions of standard Demon Soldier armor* True, his actions at the first Battle of Talnar, in which he devoured Garlith's own sister right before his eyes, was a stroke of pure genius on the field of war and terror, however I must protest this mission. Irituum was dumb enough to get himself caught after awakening. If he is in there, he deserves it.

Nifelheim: Now now, children...no bickering...*his voice rings out from all around them, a calm yet blistering heat to his words. Nifelheim then appears before his two children and their followers, stepping through another portal of fire as he then descends slowly and touches down on the floor gently* War is coming, Lucifer...we will need all the help we can get. Yes, his cannibalistic nature is disheartening...but, we can bend this to our advantage. The soldiers of this era have no idea the wrath we Demons are capable of...and without ferocity, we cannot sew discord in our enemy's ranks....*he looks to Grimoire, a cruel and pleased smile on his face* I see you have found yourself a worthy subordinate, Grimoire...congratulations. I look forward to seeing how this plays out. *he then directs his gaze to Krow. Being the first time she has ever seen the King of Demons, Nifelheim's eyes falling on her suddenly causes her to feel a feeling of immense pressure and heat, as if she was in a pressure cooker and Nifelheim was just looking down at her as she was cooking, as if to determine how long the process would take.* As for you, young Krow....We will be watching your career with great interest....I see a spark of malice in you that warms my black heart to the core. You may not be full Demon, but prove yourself here and you will have the right to call yourself one. Grom, see to it that young Krow is given everything she needs...once Irituum is freed, her real target will be revealed. Lucifer, as for you, I have a special assignment for your Armored Squadron...Prince Lucas, the White Phoenix, has been freed from prison. I want them to find him, and kill him. Before the people can rally behind their beloved Prince.

Lucifer: *he bows politely* As you command, father. *he looks back to the three Demons behind him and nods. The all bow in perfect unison and then exit the keep*

Grom: *he bows lower than Lucifer* Your will, my hands, Your Majesty....*he then stands up and motions with his head for Krow to follow him as he slowly lumbered towards the corridor that lead to the main castle and Baphamet's laboratory*

Shadow Catia: *she starts to laugh happily as she suddenly grabs a hold of Wyald's leg, the energy she'd had built up from before suddenly erupting from her body in a hot surge of divine flames, torching his fur and body as she twists her body around and knocks him into the ground* Now I've got you! *she makes a flame blade appear and points it at his throat* You would've been wise to keep attacking me from a distance, Ser Wyald!

Terran: Ser Belwas! Lower the barrier right now! *out from above the area stands Terran and Frost, Terran's eyes and blade glowing as he jumps down to land a direct attack onto Catia from above*

Ember: *she looks up and sees Terran and Frost, her eyes staring at Terran in shock and surprise* T-Terran?! What are you doing you idiot?! You're going to get yourself killed!

Frost: *he jumps down and lands next to her and Loria, looking at Shadow Catia as she suddenly stops what she's doing and looks up at Terran* No....this is a fight that Terran and Terran alone can fight. Just trust him. He knows what he's doing. *he uses one hand to slowly start frosting over Ember's injuries from before, the divine magic laced with the flames from earlier having slowed her healing process*

~Dis~

Krow: *breathlessly she stares up at Nifelheim, a spark of admiration in her scarlet eyes. She couldn't believe how menacing he seemed to her. Yet there was the smallest hint of hope for her in his eyes that she could see, making her smirk as she shakily got up and bowed to Grimoire* I shall take my leave of you Lady Grimoire~ *she slowly stands up straight with a last look of admiration at Nifelheim before following Grom down the corridor into the unknown*

Belwas: *he sees Terran and nods, allowing him into the barrier. As it lowered he desperately called out to Wyald* WYALD! GET OUT OF THERE NOW, YOU APE!

Wyald: *he growls in frustration and suddenly blinks away, landing in a smoldering heap near Ember and the others. As he shakily tried to stand, he grits his teeth, the pain from the Divine-laced flames keeping him from fully standing* Grrrrr....KICK HER ASS, PRETTY BOY! OOOOOOOKI!

Lucas: *as the fight raged on, Lucas stood on one of the rooftops with Jaeger and Glencour flanking him. He was wearing a white, short-cut, almost vest-like short sleeve jacket with a dark grey tight shirt underneath it. His pants were white, casual cloth pants with torn bottoms. On his feet, he wore simple brown boots that you would find any every-day soldier wearing. Sheathed on his belt was what looked like a longsword hilt, only the blade was a complete circle, like a thick needle. His arms were crossed as he watched the events before him unfold* That girl...did she drink Demon Blood or something like Ser Wyald?

Jaeger: No, my friend...she's that Catia girl we told you about. She was possessed by Grimoire, the demon Princess, and survived...

Lucas: Grimoire...I remember her well. Last I saw of her was the Battle of Talnar years ago...it was my father's very few military defeats. However, it was due to the savage nature of Grimoire and her subordinate, the demon Irituum the Wendigo, and her army of deranged Demons that she called "Cannibal's Carnival"...it would seem a little of Grimoire really did rub off on the poor girl.

Glencour: Will you be interfering, my Prince?

Lucas: No. That one down there, in the green, he is Terran correct? Leroy's nephew?

Jaeger: Yes. A strong Knight indeed.

Lucas: One of the two my father said to watch...three of his peers, Karn, Loria and Frost, are already the holders of high positions in the military. Lets see if this really is a generation of miracles, or if this is another case of my father's generosity getting the better of him....Either way...*he smiles warmly and smirks* I'm very eager to see what friends he's made...

Jaeger: Terran....or the other one? What was his name? Ser Horvath mentioned him only in passing....

Lucas: Argyle...the other one my father has his eye on...

Glencour: Why are you interested in that?

Lucas: Call it intuition....That Knight, with Ser Belwas, is that not Ser Loria, the King's Blade?

Jaeger: *he smiles, but the smile is hard, almost forced* Yes, sir.

Lucas: ....I understand your feelings, Jaeger. But you can't let them rule you. Remember what he did...She didn't have a choice.

Jaeger: I am a Knight of the Vanguard, and she is the King's Blade. I will do what she says without question nor will I bear her any ill will. After all...it was for the good of the kingdom....

Lucas: ....Jaeger....

~Dis~

*within Baphamet's Laboratory, the sounds of dozens of different research projects being performed at once could be heard. As Krow follows Grom through it, she notices different things. Two Demons studying a strange, orange crystal that seemed glow and throb like a heart. There was also what looked like a giant, headless suit of armor. Another three Demons were test-firing a strange device that looked like an Eastern Musket with one of those orange crystals acting as a type of power source where the hammer would have normally been on the gun. The Demon scientist takes aim and fires at a target, shooting out a blast of orange energy that burns a hole clean through not only the target, but the wall as well. The demons begin taking notes and studying the target and the wall, jotting down things before moving on. Finally, they arrive to the training area for Baphamet's students. The first Half-Mortal that they found was a large, hulking Half-Ogre demon that looked like he was built to be a pit fighter, his body toned and tall like a marble statue. His skin is a deep burgundy color, and he sported two goat legs instead of normal legs with deep, red fur. Two ram horns grow from his head, and his face is angular almost like a goat's. He wears full plate armor over his upper body save for his shoulders and arms, which are bare of armor. He lowers himself like a runner, looking straight ahead at what was before him. There stood seven walls, each made of a different material. The Half-Ogre lets out a snort from his nose, steam escaping as his body becomes covered in a black, obsidian-like smoldering shell. He then pushes off the ground with his hooves, running full force at the wall. As he picked up speed, a cone of aura from his Sorcery forms around his head as he charges head-first into the wall. Surprisingly, he smashes through all seven walls as if they were tin foil. He finally stops himself with a slide, the obsidian covering his mouth and nose breaking off as he exhales a jet of steam and flames*

Grom: That would be your first subordinate...Tonpetty...A Half-Mortal from our Ogre breeding stock. He, like you and Pike, developed a Sorcery of his own. Juggernaut, he calls it. After he picks up enough speed, he becomes an unstoppable force. No wall can stop his charge. And don't let his appearance fool you...he is actually incredibly intelligent. Baphamet himself used his own material to make him.

Tonpetty: *he looks at Grom and Krow, his eyes similar to his father's in their goat-like appearance. However, under those eyes, Krow could see something. A spark, an ambition. Something that set him apart from the other Half-Mortals, the same spark she herself always felt. He only gives her a slight nod, as if to tell her he understood what was happening.*

Grom: This way, you have yet to see Pike...*as they continued their tour, they found themselves at what was clearing a range training area. The Half-Demons there were all crowded around one particular range* It would seem Pike is drawing a crowd...*he muscles a way for himself and Krow through the crowd. Before them stood a Half-Myrrian with red skin and short, black hair kept underneath a black undertaker's hat. He wore a sleeveless, black tight shirt that fit his form perfectly, while his arms were covered in black spiral tattoos. He wore simple black pants with an ornate belt that sported two straps on each of his legs. From the straps hung what appeared to be holsters for spheres no bigger than tomatoes. He moves his hand up, lightly running his fingertips over his tongue before blowing on them. He then brings his other hand up, repeating the process before reaching both hands down to the first set of holsters. He snaps them open and pulls the spheres out, revealing them to be two black iron orbs. He holds the orbs gingerly in his hand as they begin to heat up. However, on closer inspection, Krow could see the balls clearly sparking and spinning in his hands. As they built up speed, a sharp whistling sound rings out from them. Finally, the Half-Myrrian grins and throws both balls at the target at blinding speed. He keeps his arms out as the balls fly right at the target and break through its chest and head. He then swipes his arms in, and the balls suddenly stop and head right back at the target, going through its gut and shoulder. He then begins moving his arms around, the balls following his hands perfectly as they blasted through the target over and over again until it was nothing but dust. The balls then flew back to him, landing hard in his hands as they keep spinning and hissing. After a few seconds, the glow fades and they stop spinning, smoking coolly in his hands. He then puts them back into their holsters and sighs.* Your other subordinate, Pike. Lord Baphamet trained him in the same fighting style as the former Lady Ember. However, his Sorcery, Trajectory, allows him to manipulate those iron balls to a much higher degree than the former Lady. Combine that with his ruthless persona and his mastery over Demon Fire and heat, and he makes for quite the adversary. He can perfectly control their velocity, spin speed, direction, height, and temperature all from a distance once he has thrown them. He will serve you well.

Pike: *he glances back at Krow, grinning slightly as he tips his hat to her* I look forward to fighting alongside you, Commander. Don't disappoint now.~

Frost: *he walks over to Wyald as he finishes with Ember's injuries, kneeling down and letting his eyes glow as he simply touches Wyald's burns. Nigh instantly the burns and scorches on his fur and skin begin to frost over and he feels a cooling sensation on the injuries as he simply nods to Wyald* Do us all a favor Wyald....It would be wise not to move....you'll reopen those injuries if you do.... *he looks back to Terran and Catia's fight, eager to see what exactly Terran had been up to....*

Shadow Catia: *she sees the attack coming but by the time Terran is upon her, her older injuries start to appear on her body and she flinches from the pain. Terran bears down on her shoulder, a light blue energy splashing away from the injury as he knocks her skidding backwards. She pants a little as she stands back up, the dispersed energy from before slowly filling itself in as she watches him stand up and get into a ready stance* Y-You....How....You managed to cleave into my barrier so easily....This girl who I call a vessel as well as myself are both a little shocked and surprised....Just who are you?

Terran: *he gives a heavy sigh as his eyes begin to glow more fiercely than anyone's seen before* I hate it when people want to talk when they're fighting....but if you must know.... *he takes a deep breath and puts himself into a calm stance, his blade beginning to glow with a light blue energy* I am Terran Grieval, son of Gatel Grieval and Hyourin Grieval. My mother was a thief while my father was a knight. *he readies his weapon as the energy on it starts to intensify* And although I was found having taken after my mother, a dear friend of mine gave me a chance to go onto the right path. And you.... *the blade suddenly begins to grow to twice its size as everyone watches* Have strayed from yours.... *he suddenly lunges forward and gives a sideways slice at Catia's body, making her instinctively try to block the attack with a sudden flame blade. The attacks collide and actually hold each other, much to Catia's obvious shock and surprise*

Shadow Catia: I-Impossible! My blade's are pure mystic energy! *she growls angrily at Terran as her eyes flash scarlet red at him and she forms a fireball in her other hand* Damn you!!!

Ember: *she sees what's coming and her eyes widen with fear* Ser Belwas! Put up a barrier around us right-!

Terran: *he moves his blade slightly and catches the fireball on it, the energy suddenly diffusing itself onto the weapon and only managing to go slightly past his weapon and burn his arm. With a continued look of surprise from Catia, he forces his blade off of hers and cleaves a strike into her arm, the same light blue energy splitting apart from the supposed injury as she widens her eyes in fear before hopping backwards and giving a scream of pure fury at him*

Shadow Catia: You're really starting to PISS ME OFF!!! *suddenly her flame wings spread wide and she skyrockets into the air several hundred feet above Silvenheim, spreading her wings wide as a massive, hellish, flaming spell seal appears in front of her* I'LL BURN YOU ALL TO ASHES!!! *suddenly the spell seal breaks into thousands of pieces as she quickly flies through it, making her flaming wings glow brightly*

Loria: *her eyes widen as she realizes what's about to happen* Terran! That's Catia's Aria of Destruction spell! You have to stop her or an attack of that magnitude will-! *she stops as Terran simply turns his head and smirks at her reassuringly*

Terran: *he grins at Loria and the others* Don't worry. I won't let any of my comrades die here today. You have my word. *he returns his attention forward as his blade suddenly begins to glow again, only this time Terran closes his eyes and seems to enter some kind of trance as plant life begins to force its way up to him and latch onto his body* O Gaia, mother of our planet and purveyor of all that has given us life. Grant me thy strength to stop this madness that plague's this city and with your blessing, I shall return peace to the planet.... *with his prayer recited, suddenly the plant-life that had latched itself onto Terran glows a bright blue color and the energy on his blade suddenly erupts upwards along the length of his blade. In a near instant it's energy has grown past the height at which Catia was currently flying and he opens his eyes, their natural color gone and replaced with a flowing blue as if a river was rushing past his eyes. He sighs as he raises his blade above his head, Catia giving a yell as she prepared to fire her attack* I had hoped that I would never have to use this....that I would become a knight on my own skill rather than power.... *he looks up at Catia as he lines up his strike and narrows his eyes* ....May Gaia have mercy on your soul.... *in the next breathless moment as Catia's wings start to flay out to fire her most destructive spell, Terran gives a yell and swings his blade down on top of her. The energy on the blade dissipates as it hits her and nigh instantaneously a blue liquid begins to drip from the possessed girl's body as the attack begins to lose its power and dissapear, the girl's flaming wings along with it*

Shadow Catia: *she begins to fall as her demonic features slowly begin to disappear, a strange, glowing, blue liquid flowing off of her as she falls to the ground from where she was, Terran sheathing his blade and jumping up to catch the falling girl into his arms. She stares up at him as the last of the demonic light fades from her eyes, utter shock on her face* Y-You....What did you....do to me....

Terran: *he lightly touches down onto the ground with the help of a light pillow of earth beneath his feet, chuckling as he smiles at her* I took away the thing that you were using to hurt innocent people....now sleep. You'll need to rest to recover from that. *he tells her, the girl trying to protest as her lips turn blue and her eyes close, falling limp as she fell unconscious*

~Dis~

Krow: *she smirks at her two newest subordinates and turns to Grom* When do we get started? I must admit.... *she smiles at Tonpetty and Pike* I'm quite eager to get out into the field and see what wondrous thing's we'll encounter. Aren't the two of you?

Belwas: *he retrieves his shield and walks forward, a grin on his face* Well done, Ser Grieval. Your father and Ser Leroy would be proud. The fact that you have restrained yourself from using such a power and risen as you have is astonishing. My deepest respects for your tenacity and effort. You are already a fine knight. *he taps him on the shoulder and motions to Loria and Ember* Lets get the ladies back to Sol. I can already tell he is not going to be happy with this mess...

Wyald: OOOOOKI! I JUST GOT MY ASS CHARRED BY HER, AND YOU THINK OF ONLY THE LADIES?! THAT'S LOOOOOOOW, TIN MAN! LOOOOOOW!!!

Belwas: Remember what Ser Frost said, Wyald, no moving around or your wounds will reopen...

Wyald: YOU ARE CLEARLY CAPITALIZING ON MY DOWNED STATE! YOU ARE BEYOND LOW!

Belwas: *he places Wyald on a sack and comically drags him on it towards Sol's medical station* Oh hush. And do be still...

Wyald: I WILL GET YOU FOR THIS!!!!!!

Lucas: *he looks down at Terran, a small grin on his face* I see...yes, I think he will do nicely. Tell my father that I have made my decision. I will now move to make the next one.

Jaeger: Yes, My Prince. *the two bow and then dash off over the rooftops*

Lucas: *he smiles and leaps off the roof, white flames suddenly flowing out from his feet as his shoulders and hair begin letting off embers. Two large wings if white flame burst forth from behind him as he lands in the center of the square casually, a smile on his face* Good evening, everyone. Sorry for intruding. I just wanted to meet all of you in person.

Belwas: *he immediately drops Wyald with an astonished look on his face* Prince....Lucas...you're free from prison?!

Lucas: *he smiles back at Belwas* Ser Belwas, its good to see you again. Yes, Father released me. He wants me to take up my sword and lead the campaign in the Immortal Lands in the name of the Crown. I'm actually here because I wanted to meet Ser Terran and Ser Loria. So...*he looks to both of them* Its a pleasure to meet both of you finally. My name is Lucas Valerion Myrr, Prince of the Kingdom of Myrr. But you can just call me Lucas. *he smiles politely*

~Dis~

Grom: You will be deployed directly over the mountains which separate Dis from Jotunheim. From there, you will make your way to the Holdfast in which the wretched Vanguard hold the Viscount. Once you have located it, you will free the Viscount by any means necessary. You can even reduce it to rubble if you wish. Just remember this....we are Half-Demons. This means we cannot return home until our mission is complete. I hope to see you again, Krow. Bring glory to our kind, and strike the first blow to the enemy. Your team will report down the hall to the Hellfire Launcher, and will be fired right on the border of Jotunheim. Good fortune to you. *he nods and walks off, returning to Grimoire's chamber*

Tonpetty: *he looks down at Krow and lets out a grumble as steam escapes his nostrils* We shall follow your lead, Commander.

Pike: We were made to watch your duel with the Balrog...Your might is respected among our kind. We will follow your command until the day we die, or you prove unfit to lead us.

Terran: *he sighs and frowns at Lucas* Sheesh....a guy does one good deed and everyone starts calling him 'Ser' like he's a knight or something....

Loria: *she elbows Terran in the side with a laugh* One good deed and a thousand unanswered questions were thought of today Terran. *she turns to Lucas and bows to him carefully* The pleasure is all ours Prince Lucas. It's very nice to finally meet you.

Terran: *he motions with his head to have everyone follow behind him as Frost merely gives a roll of his eyes and takes the head of the group to get them to Sol's medical station* Just as you would prefer to be informal Lucas, I would like my name to be kept the same. You can just call me Terran. Although I imagine being called 'Ser' all the time kind of comes with being a knight, I'd prefer it if I....y'know, weren't treated like one.

Loria: *she sighs and shakes her head* How did you ever get into this situation then....

Terran: *he shrugs* I don't know. Trouble is just one of those things that tends to find me rather than the other way around. I guess I'm just used to it by now.

Ember: *she's quiet as she follows everyone along to the medical station, giving a squeak of surprise when Loria suddenly puts a hand on her shoulder*

Ember: *her eyes seem to dart to various imaginative places before she finally shakes her head quickly* N-Nope! Nothing's wrong at all! I'm completely fine! *she blinks a moment before giving a small sneeze and starts to rub her shoulders and arms* Save for ice boy over here frosting over my injuries....gods I've never felt this cold before....

Frost: *he opens the way into the medical tent as everyone starts to file in* Perhaps if you wouldn't get hurt so badly like this then my assistance with your injuries would not have been required....

Ember: *she glares at Frost as she walks inside of the station* And just what is that supposed to mean?

Frost: *he shrugs and waits for everyone to have filed into the area before closing the way behind them, turning to address Ser Sol* Ser Sol....I believe I have a few more guests that may require your assistance.... *he says with a glance at Catia, now peacefully sleeping in Terran's arms as she subconsciously snuggles up to his chest*

Terran: *he gives a chuckle as he watches the small, angelic girl snuggle up to him (much to Loria's displeasure)* Looks like I'm too much for even an angel to resist eh guys?

Loria: *she glares at him as some of the wind kicks up inside of the room* Don't push your luck lover boy....

~Dis~

Krow: *she gives a smirk at both Tonpetty and Pike, a pleased look in her eyes as she addresses them* That's good that you're willing to follow me as your commander. Truth be told, if any of you so much as thinks of disobeying me.... *she walks up to Pike and uses a finger to gently caress his chin, a devilish smile on her face as she does so* I'll personally see to it that that behavior is....removed from you. *she moves away from Pike before looking up at Tonpetty and giving him a slight nod. He seemed like a simple-minded creature but she could tell that he definitely wasn't without his own degree of intelligence. In fact, he was the one that she awaited working with the most as opposed to Pike. She starts walking towards the Hellfire Launcher room from Grom's directions and glances back at the two of them* Well now, this should be a fun little adventure now shouldn't it? Come along you two. We have work to do....

Sol: *he takes one look at the group and his mouth drops. He then pinches the bridge of his nose in frustration, growling slightly as he sighs* I just patched most of you up after your LAST fiasco! And is that burn wounds?! On Ember and Wyald, who are supposedly immune to fire?! What in the name of Felix the First were you all even DOING?!

Belwas: Trust me, its a long story...would you mind tending to Catia and the others?

Sol: *he lets out another aggravated sigh* Put them on the beds....I'll be on it in a few minutes. I gotta treat Karn and Prongs again. Those idiots broke so many bones during their fight, I'm amazed they could still BREATH! Though if that June girl doesn't stop bothering me with her childish antics while I'm trying to concentrate....I may just end up breaking my vow of pacifism...

Belwas: ....That annoying?

Sol: I strongly dislike out of control kids even at the best of times....This girl is just a karmic nightmare for me...

Lucas: Hello, cousin.

Sol: .....*his eyes suddenly bug out from his head in pure shock at seeing Lucas* L-LUCAS?! WHEN DID UNCLE GARLITH LET YOU OUT?!

Lucas: Quite recently, actually. I'm to lead the Immortal Lands campaign. I'm actually here to speak with Loria and Argyle. I wanted to meet the daring duo who defeated the traitor Phobos and lead the team who assaulted the enemy base to victory myself.

Sol: I see...I actually finished Argyle's treatments just now. The boy is a natural at Mystic Focus. It honestly surprised me that he has been using it on his natural regeneration for so long now...It sped my healing up immensely. Things that would have taken days of treatment regimes, healed in hours!

Lucas: I see...*he looks back at Loria, smiling* Ser Loria, if you would be so kind as to join Argyle and myself in private? Its a matter all three of us need to discuss.

Sol: When you are done, I'll work on treating you, Loria.

Wyald: OI! WHAT ABOUT MY TREATMENT?! THESE CRAPPY BURN WOUNDS HURT, YOU KNOW!

Sol: Aaaaaaaaand just for that, you're getting healed last, Wyald.

Wyald: THE HELL, MAN?!

Sol: Remember this.....Strong of arm and mind you may be....*his face comically darkens as he glares at Wyald* Piss me off, and you won't get back up next time you go down.

Wyald: *he shrinks back slightly* Sorry....

Belwas: Sol when he's annoyed is kinda scary....

~Dis~

*The two Half-Demons nod, following their commander into the chamber. Inside, on the floor, is a vast Demonic spell seal. As soon as the team steps onto it, it begins glowing, flames rising around them as they condense into a small ball around them. In a flash, the team is launched as a ball of fire straight out from the top of the tower they stood in, flying at impossible speeds over the sky and clouds, their direction being the continent of Jotunheim. To the group, it was as if they had merely closed their eyes. Suddenly, a vast shaking like they had just fallen out of bed jars them awake. Krow finds herself slightly dazed as she hears a rough voice calling to her.*

Tonpetty: Commander! We have arrived. *The area around them was a vast open field of green grass. Underneath them, however, was the scorched earth from their landing. Pike was looking about, keeping his sharp eyes open for anything that could approach them. Tonpetty was standing over Krow, his arms loosely crossed as he too kept watch* Pike, do you see anything?

Pike: From what I gather, we should be close to the Holdfast...I can make out a large structure. Seven leagues...*he points northwest, one of his eyes closed to help him aim better* That way. Looks like a mess a vast wooden structures built around a giant stone fortress...Definitely Giant architecture. If I was a Giant looking to build a place strong enough to hold Dragons and Demons, that would be it.

Tonpetty: *he turns his attention to Krow* And you appear to be uninjured, Commander. What are your orders? Shall we attack all out, or attempt to use guile?

Pike: Not one of your strong points, I take it, big guy?

Tonpetty: A soldier knows his own strengths and weaknesses. To dive into battle without strategy is a fool's rush that leads to an early grave.

Pike: Considering your Sorcery, I would think rushing something would be a strong suit of yours...

Tonpetty: I can harden my body and use Obsidian Shell as well as any Demon, and yes my Sorcery does indeed make me unstoppable...but by no means am I unkillable. I made sure to learn to pick my battles....

Pike: *he nods, a slightly glazed over expression on his face after Tonpetty's explanation. He then turns his attention to Krow* So, what are your orders, Commander?

June: *suddenly Sol is hit by a small weight from behind, the attack followed by a fit of giggles* Mr. Sooool! I'm bored! Play with me!

Frost: *a vein comedically pops in his forehead as he simply walks over and picks June up and off of Ser Sol's back by her jacket and sets her down* Stop bugging the healer child. Else Prongs' injuries will never get taken care of.

June: *she gives an exaggerated groan* But I wanna play with someone!

Loria: *she's in a fit of giggles before she kneels down slightly to June's eye level* Then why not play with Mrs. Fox? I'm sure she'd love to play with you~

Ember: *her eyes widen as June's eye light up with joy* Wh-What?! N-No! Back off! Waaaah-! *her cries of protest are interrupted by June bowling her over and hugging her tightly, rubbing her face on her fur*

June: Your fur is so soft and your chest feels like I could sleep on it forever! *she squeals as she spots Ember's tails lashing back and forth and grabs one of them, stroking it gently as Ember lets out a small cry and starts to blush madly* And your tails are so soft!

Ember: *she gives a choked growl and glares at June before shoving the child off of her and letting her arms envelop in demon fire* Y-You....You'll pay for that you brat! C'mere! *she warns her, a hint of a joke in her tone as she tosses a small ball of purple fire at her. June gives a happy giggle and dodges it, running outside as Ember comedically chases her out of the tent*

Loria: *she can't help but giggle for a little while longer before turning to Ser Sol* Hehehe~ That should solve your 'energy crisis' for a little while.

Terran: *he finishes setting Catia down onto a bed before scratching the back of his head, frowning at Loria* Are you sure Ember won't just burn her to a crisp?

Loria: *she shakes her head* No no haha. Ember may have sounded angry and upset but she knows that June is just a child and only wants to burn off what excess energy she has. I imagine after she's done chasing her around she'll carry her back here and probably wind up curling up with June in her arms. *her eyes twinkle as she thinks about the situation* Ember might seem to be bad with kids but really she's every bit a motherly figure as I am. No, June will be fine in Ember's care. Now then.... *she turns to Lucas and gives him a quick nod* Let us go and see Argyle shall we?

~Jotunheim~

Krow: *her eyes flicker with amusement when she sees that Tonpetty was smarter than she'd thought he'd be, sighing when she sees Pike's overly eager attitude* Tonpetty is correct. Rushing into a situation like this is every bit screaming 'kill me' as anything else. No, we should be stealthy about this for as long as we can until we know the full situation on the outside of the building and the inside. If this Viscount is as terrifying as her ladyship says, he'll likely be guarded by higher ranking members or soldiers, possibly even members of the Vanguard themselves. *she lets her horns disappear in her hair before carefully crawling up to Tonpetty's shoulders and seating herself onto one of them with a smirk at him* Tonpetty, I shall just take a seat here while we walk. I would fly alongside all of you but that will get us spotted too quickly for my liking. *she turns to Pike* You know the way Pike, so you take the lead. Stop once we're in sight of the stronghold so that we can take further observations of our situation. Understood?

Sol: Finally...besides, Prongs makes for a pleasant conversation. Kinda hard to maintain my composure when I got that girl jumping all over me. Thank you, Ser Loria. Your assistance is greatly appreciated. Sheesh, if I were King, I'd have named you King's Mercy instead of King's Blade for that one, because you saved me! *he bows and walks off towards Prongs' room, closing the door behind him*

Belwas: I will look after Catia and Wyald. *he nods to both of them, a pleasant smile on his face*

Lucas: Thank you, Belwas. And again, its good to see you, old friend. *the two bump fists and Lucas turns around, smiling to Loria and inclining his head as if to say "After you". Just then, as he goes to walk, he accidentally bumps right into Shagga. The two stand, shoulder to shoulder, as Lucas glances at Shagga* My apologies. I didn't see you there....Ser Shagga.

Shagga: *he glares right at Lucas, clear irritation in his eyes* What are you doing out of jail, Giant-lover?

Lucas: I'll be spearheading the campaign into Jotunheim. I'm to discuss terms with Kor the Hardened, and possibly solidify a meeting and alliance with the other Giant Thanes. If this works and the Giants make peace with us, we will have a force strong enough to counter Nifelheim and the Dragons directly! Think of it, Shagga. We can end this war in a matter of a few years.

Shagga: Giants are Giants, and I hate them all the same. I think you're crazy for wanting to work with them, and if it weren't for the fact that there are so many wounded here, I'd have kicked your ass the minute I saw you.

Lucas: It was Northern Giants that wiped your tribe out, Shagga. A completely different species entirely. Can't you see the similarities between the Southern Giants and us mortals?! We can both die in combat, and Giants have lifetimes that span centuries! I've seen an old Giant die once of illness and age. THEY ARE MORTAL, SHAGGA! Just like us! I think they are descended from an Immortal Race, and whatever happened to them is what is keeping the Giants under Behemoth's thumb. If we can help them and free them, the tide of the war with change immeasurably in our favor!

Shagga: You listen and you listen well, Prince. I will follow the orders of King Garlith, since I have fully committed myself to this kingdom due to my breaking my own people's traditions in order to help a friend, *he points at the sleeping Catia* That girl, over there. But I will always bear a strong hatred for Giants. It is a cold fact of nature. Just do me this favor: Stay out of my way. Do that, and I won't smear your royal face all over the floor. Now, kindly piss off. *he walks out from the tent, clearly irritated by Lucas' presence.*

Lucas: ....*he looks back at Loria and scratches his head, clearly embarrassed* My apologies for that, Ser Loria...Ser Shagga and I don't really see eye to eye...opposing political views, you see. *he gestures again to Argyle's room* Shall we? *the two walk into the room, finding Argyle fully clothed in his old civilian cloths, his white shirt with brown leather dublet, white cloth pants, and boots. Lucas smiled and held his hand up* Please, don't get up on our account, Argyle.

Lucas: Forgive me for my abruptness. My name is Lucas Valerion Myrr, Crown Prince of Myrr. But you can call me Lucas...*he turns around and closes the door, making sure its locked before finishing his sentence* ...Or Brother, whichever you prefer.

Argyle: Y-You know who I am?! Does the King?! Am I in any danger?! What about Mother!?

Lucas: Relax, Argyle. Yes, I do. I was Mother's confidante during my imprisonment...she often spoke of you and Loria and your fantastic adventures. Truly, I am happy to finally meet my pesky younger brother. *he smiles warmly* And yes, my father knows. However, you are in no danger. He has forgiven Mother, and all is well again. Actually, I came here to assess you, personally. Your apprenticeship with Ser Horvath, I take it that you completed it?

Argyle: Yes, I did...He said the King wanted to meet me so he could perform the ceremony himself...

Lucas: I see...Tell me, Argyle, is the story true? Did you and Loria truly face down not only the traitor, Phobos, but also a Grand Acolyte as well as a vast Half-Demon abomination?

Argyle: ....Grom.

Lucas: Hmmm?

Argyle: His name...the Half-Demon is called Grom. He's a mighty adversary...but he had a warrior's honor. I know it sounds crazy, probably even offensive to some...but even though he is my enemy, I respect his strength and honor. He was a very worthy opponent.

Lucas: *he smiles* Same honor-obsession as Gramps...

Argyle: Gramps?

Lucas: Ser Horvath. That's what Ciaren, Siegfried, and I call him.

Argyle: I see...I don't think I've earned the right to call him that yet...

Lucas: Try it one day. Believe it or not, Gramps really treasures us. Grandma died a long time ago, and he was so thankful that Mother didn't die as well that he treasures all his descendants. He may seem hard, but he's actually a very loving man.

Argyle: I know...even though it was as Master and Apprentice, he showed his caring side numerous times while we traveled. *he smiles back* Thank you, Lucas...brother.

Lucas: *he smiles and then turns to Loria* And Loria, oh Loria. Mother speaks so highly of you. And truly, I think you are a very worthy King's Blade. I trust you with my little brother. Do make sure he doesn't get himself killed? The Crewns are known for their temperaments, and the Styxs are known for rushing headlong without a clue. *he then grins wide* Tell Ser Terran when you see him next to come with you both to the palace for the Knighting. You both will want to be there. *he then opens the door, looking back and winking at them* Ser Loria, Argyle, it was good talking to both of you. *he then exits, closing the door behind him and leaving Argyle and Loria alone in the room together*

~Jotunheim~

Pike: *he sprouts two leathery bat wings from his back and takes to the air, flying low so as to not draw attention*

Tonpetty: *placing one hand on Krow's lap to steady her, he takes a running start and within moments he accelerates, easily running faster than any horse was even capable of. He kept his eye on Pike as the Half-Demons moved towards their destination. Finally, they arrive outside the Holdfast's gates. Around the vast stone monolith in the center of the Holdfast was a vast city of wooden halls, cabins, stalls, and various other normal town object. Both Giants and Mortals bustled in and out of the Holdfast's gates, the Giant Guards clad in full suits of armor and armed with large lances* It would seem that Mortals are given rights within the Mag-Theron's lands...and they have turned the Holdfasts controlled by the peaceful Giants into sprawling village-cities surrounding the Holdfast itself...in exchange for commerce, the Giants must protect their Mortals...Very intriguing.

Pike: According to intel from Lord Baphamet, this system was introduced by Prince Lucas Myrr to Kor the Hardened, Thane of the Mag-Theron. I imagine, however, that getting Tonpetty here past the gate will be very troublesome...

Tonpetty: Its true. I cannot take a Mortal-looking form.

Pike: *he reaches into his pocket, retrieving three yellow glowing crystals* Here, these Soul Stones were given to me by Lord Baphamet. They will allow the three of us to communicate from a long distance telepathically. It apparently has small shards of our souls in them and are linked, similarly to how the Demon's Soul functions. What is our next move, Commander?

Loria: *she takes a deep breath and watches Lucas leave before she turns to Argyle, going to sit down onto a bed with a small wince as she flops onto her back* Goodness....I need a vacation.... *she looks over at Argyle and smiles* I'm glad that you're looking better. You took quite a beating. Although.... *she raises her numb arm up in front of her face, her smile disappearing* Do you truly think Ser Sol will be able to treat my arm? Even if it's fully functional again, I'd need a new weapon. Something tells me rushing into the battlefield with nothing but my bare fists is a horrible idea for anyone. *she smirks at Argyle, a small, prideful twinkle in her eyes* Except it seems....for you. You've gotten a lot stronger since we last met. And definitely a lot more handsome~

~Jotunheim~

Krow: *she hops off of Tonpetty's shoulder and takes the crystal before pocketing it and looking around for any leaving travelers or merchants. She spots one and holds up a hand to the both of them* Stay here. I will be right back. *she turns her attention back to a small caravan of two merchants and walks up to them, rubbing her shoulders as if she were cold. When her voice comes out, it sounds innocent and somewhat dry* E-Excuse me? C-Could I get a coat or robe from the two of you? I-I'm so sensitive to the wind and it makes me feel so cold....

Merchant Girl: *she looks to her partner, a man looking to be in about his mid-twenties before giving her a smile and a nod. The girl's eyes light up and she takes out a dark colored robe and folds it up before holding it out to Krow* Here you go~

Krow: *she smiles gratefully and slips the robe on, pulling the hood up and giving a small shiver. She smiles meekly at the two merchants and gives them a quick bow* Thank you so much! I'll be sure to repay you in turn should we meet again!

Merchant Man: *he shakes his head* Think nothing of it. Just do us both a favor and find a warm place to sleep tonight alright? *he tells him, the girl giving Krow a wave as they returned on the path out of the city*

Krow: *she smirks at them with a pleased look in her eyes before walking back to Tonpetty and Pike, fluffing out the hood on her robe as she reached them* Well, my disguise appears to be complete. You two aren't as inconspicuous as me so you should stay behind until I give the signal for you both to come and give me some support. I shall send up a kind of flare should I require your assistance. In the meantime, continue to observe this place and the fortress from afar and if you see anything out of the ordinary such as guards or unexpected guests.... *she taps her pocket* Tell me and I'll adjust accordingly. *with her orders given, she turns around and walks into the city, closing her eyes momentarily at the gates to change their color to a soft green before walking inside of the town. Immediately she seeks out somewhere where she can get a high enough spot to look out over the city and climbs the ladder off to the side of a building to get to the rooftop. She looks over and spots the fortress holding Viscount Irituum and smirks devilishly, climbing down before calmly proceeding over to the gates. She wasn't sure what to expect really but she knew she would be fine should she meet some resistance in the form of guards and the like. The Vanguard however....she would need to treat them with a special sort of caution....*